Where is Missouri City?
Missouri City lies in northeast Fort Bend County and southwest Harris County. It is on U.S. Highway 90A and State Highway 6, about 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston. The 2020 Census counted 74,259 residents. The city’s land area is 29.01 square miles.
How did Missouri City develop?
In 1890, two Houston real estate investors bought four square miles southwest of Houston. They promoted it as a land of genial sunshine and eternal summer. In 1893, W. R. McElroy bought 80 acres nearby. He named the new town Missouri City to tie into advertising in the St. Louis, Missouri, area.
The town was registered in Texas in 1894. A general store housed the first post office in 1897. A railroad depot was built in 1902. Oil was found in nearby Blue Ridge in 1919, and natural gas in 1925. In 1926, Missouri City became the first town in the county to use natural gas.
The population stayed near 100 from 1904 to 1960. Missouri City was incorporated on March 13, 1956. Voters elected a mayor and five councilmen. The city then grew quickly, reaching 36,176 residents in 1990.
Who governs Missouri City, and who provides services?
Missouri City operates under a home rule charter adopted in 1974. It adopted the council-manager form of government that year. The council has seven seats, including the mayor. Two seats are at-large and four represent Districts A through D. The mayor votes on all issues and has no veto. City general elections are held in November.
Municipal utility districts (MUDs) can be created in the city limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The city can consent or decline to consent to a new MUD. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality makes the final decision on its creation and bonds. The city generally does not annex or dissolve a MUD in its ETJ until at least 90 percent of its developable land is built out. When a MUD is dissolved, the city takes over its obligations and assets.
Which school districts serve Missouri City?
Fort Bend Independent School District serves most Missouri City students. Houston Independent School District serves the Colony Crossing, Fondren Park and Fonmeadow subdivisions.